Power of attorney for an elderly person
There are four documents people mean by this, and only one is worth making today: a Lasting Power of Attorney. The others are historical, temporary, or a court process used when it is too late for an LPA.
Make your LPA online for £49
Answer simple questions. We prepare your LPA documents from your answers, ready for the next steps.
- £49 per LPA, or £79 for both types
- No solicitor required for straightforward LPAs
- Plain English questions, one screen at a time
- Save your progress and come back to it
- Checked for common completion errors as you go
- Review everything before you pay
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a separate £92 to register each LPA.
Is an LPA still possible for your relative?
Only the person themselves can make an LPA, and only while they have mental capacity. Start here.
They have capacity and want to make one
You can help with every part of the paperwork. They make the decisions and sign.
You are not sure whether they have capacity
Capacity is decision-specific and a diagnosis alone does not settle it. Read how it is judged before you spend anything.
They have already lost capacity
An LPA can no longer be made — not by us and not by anyone else. The route is a deputyship application to the Court of Protection.
The four documents
| Document | Status | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Lasting Power of Attorney | Current | What you make now, for money and/or health |
| Enduring Power of Attorney | Cannot be made since 2007 | Still valid if signed before then; finances only |
| General (ordinary) power of attorney | Current | Temporary, ends on loss of capacity — no use for long-term planning |
| Deputyship | Court order | Used when capacity has already been lost |
What older donors often ask
- There is no upper age limit for making an LPA.
- Being in a care home does not prevent it, provided capacity is present.
- A registered LPA does not stop the donor making their own decisions while they can.
- The donor can revoke it at any time while they have capacity.
Assessing whether it is still possible
Age alone is never the barrier — capacity is. Before starting, think honestly about whether the person can understand what an LPA does, remember the conversation long enough to decide, weigh up who to appoint, and communicate a choice. Occasional forgetfulness or slower processing does not mean capacity has gone; those are common features of ageing that do not, by themselves, prevent someone making an LPA.
- A good day is enough — capacity is judged at the moment of signing, not as an average across the week.
- If there is real doubt, ask the GP for an opinion before starting, rather than after a problem arises.
- The certificate provider will also form a view of understanding as part of witnessing the signature.
Timing matters more than people think
Do not wait for a crisis
Families often start looking into this after a fall, a diagnosis or a hospital admission — exactly when capacity is most likely to be in question. The best time to make an LPA is while the person is well, so there is no argument later about whether they understood what they were signing.
Involving the GP
A GP does not need to be involved to make a valid LPA, but for an elderly person, especially one with a diagnosis that affects memory or cognition, a brief conversation with the GP beforehand can be reassuring for the whole family. Some GPs will provide a short written note confirming their understanding at that appointment. This is not filed with the OPG and is not a legal requirement, but it can matter later if a decision is ever challenged.
Cost for an elderly relative
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| One LPA | £49 |
| Both LPAs | £79 |
| OPG registration, per document | £92 |
| Both LPAs, fully registered | £263 |
A worked example
Eileen, 89, moved into sheltered housing after a fall. Her son found an Enduring Power of Attorney she had signed in 1998, which still covers her finances but nothing about her care. Before going further, he asked Eileen's GP for a view on her understanding at her next routine appointment, which confirmed she was able to make the decision. He then helped her make a Health & Welfare LPA to cover the gap, appointing himself and her niece jointly and severally. It cost £49 to us and £92 to the OPG for the one document.
Where to go next
Check whether an LPA is still possible with the free eligibility check, compare costs at LPA cost, and read what we do not do if there is any doubt about a more complex situation.
Common questions
Is an old Enduring Power of Attorney still valid?
Yes, if it was signed before October 2007 and is properly executed. It only covers financial affairs, not health, and must still be registered with the OPG when the donor starts to lose capacity or as a precaution.
Can a general power of attorney be used if someone becomes confused?
No. A general power of attorney ends automatically the moment the donor loses mental capacity — it is designed for temporary situations like being abroad, not for declining health.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Parents, couples and capacity. The pages below take it further.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
- What an LPA costs in 2026
Our £49 and £79 prices, the £92 OPG registration fee, and solicitor comparisons.
Helping a parent or partner?
They make the decisions and sign, you can do all the paperwork. Start with the free capacity check.
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a separate £92 to register each LPA.
This is general information about Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice about your situation. What we do and do not do.